R 121300Z AUG 2008
FM CHNAVMARCORMARS WILLIAMSBURG VA
TO ALNAVMARCORMARS
INFO ZEN/CHIEF ARMY MARS FT HUACHUCA AZ
ZEN/CHIEF AIR FORCE MARS SCOTT AFB IL
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UNCLAS
SUBJ: CHNAVMARCORMARS BCST 09-08 - MDS TO WINLINK TRANSITION
A. CHNAVMARCORMARS WILLIAMSBURG VA 311600Z MAR 2008 (CMB04-08)
1. REF A ANNOUNCED THE TRANSITION PLAN TO SHIFT FROM THE MARS DATA
SYSTEM (MDS) TO THE TRI-SERVICE MARS WINLINK 2000 (WL2K) SYSTEM.
2. AS OF 2359Z, 31 AUGUST 2008, THE MDS WILL BE SHUT DOWN AFTER 15
YEARS OF EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. ALL FREQUENCIES USED BY THE NATIONAL,
AREA AND REGION DATA SYSTEM MAILBOXES REVERT TO NNN0ASA CONTROL FOR
REASSIGNMENT FOR WL2K EXPANSION. MY SINCEREST THANKS TO ALL THE
SYSOPS WHO KEPT THIS SYSTEM FULLY OPERATIONAL AND MOVING TRAFFIC
EFFICIENTLY. I, FOR ONE, WILL BE HAPPY TO RETIRE MY MS-DOS COMPUTER
THAT HAS BEEN HARDER AND HARDER TO KEEP OPERATIONAL.
3. AS OF 0001Z, 01 SEP 2008, THE WL2K SYSTEM WILL BE USED FOR ALL
OFFICIAL NAVMARCORMARS TRAFFIC.
4. ANY TRAFFIC REMAINING IN THE MDS AS OF 312359Z AUG 2008 WILL BE
REFORMATTED AND ENTERED INTO THE WL2K SYSTEM FOR DELIVERY.
5. REF A ALSO INCLUDED THE ADDRESSES FOR SENDING TRAFFIC TO
INDIVIDUAL STATES, ALL STATES IN THE US AND ALL STATES IN SPECIFIC
AREAS AND REGIONS.
6. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW IF THE STATION TO WHOM YOU ARE TRYING TO SEND
TRAFFIC HAS A WL2K ACCOUNT, SEND THE TRAFFIC TO HIS STATE ACCOUNT.
7. REF A ALSO IDENTIFIED SEVERAL HURDLES TO OVERCOME. HERE ARE SOME
INTERIM SOLUTIONS:
  A. HOW TO SEND EEI TRAFFIC:
     (1) ACTUAL EEI TRAFFIC IS SENT TO:
       AAN3EEI VA (AAN3EEI(AT)WINLINK.ORG)
       NNN0ASA VA (NNN0ASA(AT)WINLINK.ORG)
       NNN0ASZ VA (NNN0ASZ(AT)WINLINK.ORG)
     (2) AREA, REGION AND STATE ADDRESSEES WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE
STATE MAIL BOXES, OR DIRECTORS WL2K ACCOUNTS, AS DIRECTED BY THE
APPROPRIATE DIRECTOR. IN AIRMAIL 2000 (OR IN YOUR E-MAIL PROGRAM IF
USING PACLINKMP) YOU CAN MAKE UP ADDRESS LISTS FOR ACTUAL EEIS AND
EXERCISE EEIS. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT WITH EXERCISE EEIS, YOU DO
NOT INCLUDE AAN3EEI(AT)WINLINK.ORG IN THE MESSAGE YOU INPUT TO THE
WL2K RMS.
    (3) DON'T FORGET THAT ACTUAL AND EXERCISE EEIS NEED TO HAVE
'//MARS O/ACTUAL EEI' AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE
E-MAIL FORMATTED MESSAGE ENTERED INTO WL2K.
  B. HOW TO SEND TRAFFIC TO STAFF CALL SIGNS:
    (1) AREA DIRECTORS, REGION DIRECTORS, STATE DIRECTORS AND
NATIONAL STAFF MEMBERS HAVE SEVEN CHARACTER CALL SIGNS AND CAN BE
DIRECTLY ADDRESSED TO THEIR ADDRESS (AT) WINLINK.ORG. (SET UP YOUR
ACCOUNTS PRIOR TO 31 AUG 2008 IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, OR
NOTIFY YOUR MEMBERS WHERE TO SEND YOUR TRAFFIC.)
    (2) TRAFFIC FOR AREA, REGION AND STATE STAFF ASSITANTS SHOULD BE
SENT TO THE STATE MAILBOX UNTIL NOTIFIED BY THE APPROPRIATE
INDIVIDUAL OF THE SPECIFIC WL2K ADDRESS TO SEND THEIR TRAFFIC.
  C. HOW TO SEND TRAFFIC TO STATIONS HOLDING MORE THAN ONE STAFF CALL
SIGN: THIS WILL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED INDIVIDUALLY BY THE STATION
HOLDING THE MULTIPLE STAFF CALL SIGNS.
8. THE FALL BACK POSITION IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO SEND TRAFFIC
FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL STATION IS TO ALWAYS SEND IT TO THE STATE WL2K
ADDRESS AS PUBLISHED IN REF A.
9. MARS: TOGETHER WE CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING.
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